This traditional Bolognese sauce is made using all the authentic ingredients like beef, pork, fresh tomato purée, then cooked low and slow for hours to develop a rich, hearty taste.
Bolognese sauce, also known in Italy as ragú, originates from one of my favorite Italian cities, Bologna. Bolognese sauce is a rich, thick meat sauce that cooks for 4 hours. I did a lot of research before writing this recipe as there are many variations of Bolognese, but this recipe is as close to the real thing. The meats used in a Bolognese sauce are traditionally 50% each of ground beef and pork with a really great flavor booster, pancetta (Italian unsmoked bacon). Onion, carrots, celery and garlic are cooked when the meat is browned. White wine is added (not red, white is traditional) along with a good quality tomato puree, milk and beef stock. The longer this sauce is simmered, the better the flavor so set aside a good 4 hours for the best result. When one would expect oregano or basil to be used in an Italian recipe, seasonings are very minimal in Bolognese. Only salt and pepper is used.
I’ve created a recipe video so you can see how the recipe is made. Just press play!
This traditional Bolognese recipe makes 3 quarts/12 cups of sauce. You will need a large pan for this and the reason I made so much is because this sauce is going in a traditional lasagna. Which is also very large and really good! You can find that recipe here > lasagna Bolognese.
This sauce is not only used in lasagna, Bolognese is also served with wide, flat tagliatelle, a pasta that can hold the weight of the sauce.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 ½ pounds 80/20 ground beef
- 1 ½ pounds ground pork
- 6 ounces pancetta chopped finely
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 11 ounces large onion finely chopped
- 2 ounces celery stalks finely chopped
- 6 ounces carrots finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves grated or finely chopped
- 1 cup white wine or red if you prefer
- 37 ounces good quality can tomato puree
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup beef stock
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To a large, heavy saucepan add the oil and butter over medium-high heat.
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When the butter is melted and bubbly, add the beef, pork, pancetta, salt, pepper. Brown, breaking up the meat while cooking.
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When the meat is browned, add the onion, celery and carrots, mix well and cook for 3 minutes.
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Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
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Add the wine, stir and allow to cook and reduce slightly for about 3 minutes.
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Add the tomato purée, milk, stock and mix well.
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Partially cover and simmer for 4 hours, stirring often to prevent it sticking to the bottom. If any fat rises to the top, use a spoon to skim it off.
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When done, taste for seasoning and adjust to your taste.
Lasagne Bolognese
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- Lasagna bolognese
Love Bolognese sauce and this looks amazing! Pinning to try it asap!
Stalks of what? I am assuming celery?
Yes, celery. Thank you for stopping by.
Do you drain the meat?
Hi Maggie, I do not drain the meat because the juices are where all the flavor is from the pancetta and you need a little fat in the pan to cook the onions, celery and carrots. Thank you for your question.
Hi there!
I’m currently making the sauce and was wondering if it thickens over the 4 hours.
Thank you!
Hi Annette, yes, it is the long cooking of the sauce that gets it so thick and also thickens as it cools. I hope you enjoy!
This sauce looks amazing and I’m going to try the recipe. I’ve traveled throughout Italy, but I’ve not seen bolognese with quite this much meat. I prefer a meatier version and can’t wait to try this one. I’ll follow up!
Thank you Dana. I spent a lot of time in Bologna and this is the typical sauce that you would find there. I hope you enjoy it.
Hi, just a couple of question. Can this be done in a crockpot? And is the milk necessary? If so, can it be subbed with almond milk?
Thank you for your time
Thank you so much for your questions. You could make it in a crockpot. I haven’t tried it, but I would do the first 4 steps of the recipe by browning the onions and garlic first in a pan. Add them to the crockpot then start at step 5 by adding the wine and so on. Cook on high for 4 hours.
You can just omit the milk. It just add richness and it’s part of the traditional recipe, but it would be better to just leave it out rather than use almond milk.
I hope you enjoy the sauce.
I don’t mean to step on anyone’s toes but after reading this question, I can’t help but wanting to stick my nose in. The calcium in milk actually breaks down the proteins in the meat making it much more tender tender. As for the crockpot, this sauce is cooked with the cover ajar so that it evaporates, condenses and thickens as it cooks, and after 4 hours, it is not only thicker but also more flavorful. In a crockpot, this won’t happen. It will stay soupy.
Thank you for the great information Jo Ann, this is very helpful.
Can you make this without the pancetta? I can’t find it anywhere!!!!
Hi Laura, yes you can make it without. If you can find unsmoked bacon, you could also use that. Thanks for stopping by.
This was fabulous! Great recipe. I sautéed the onions, carrots, celery and gar.ic in the olive oil until they started to brown, then I added the pork and beef and cooked until it was no longer pink. I deglazed with the wine, then added all the other ingredients. I added 2 Bay leaves, which is also traditional per my mother in law. After 4 hours, it was done! I cannot say enough how absolutely delicious this came. Perfect recipe! I have made Bolognese before but this is the best recipe so far, other than my mother in law’s recipe. She came over form Italy when she was in her late 20s. Her Bolognese was to die for! She jarred her own tomatoes, ground her own meat, made her own beef stock with beef bones, and never measured a thing. She developed Alzheimer’s before I had learned how to make it from her and have been trying to find the right recipe for years. Now I have it! Thank you!
Thank you so much for your amazing and detailed feedback and informative information. I’m so glad you liked the recipe, now you have to use it to make my lasagne Bolognese 🙂
http://culinaryginger.com/lasagna-bolognese/
Hi there,
I’m. It sure what type of wine to use? Or can I skip the wine?
Can’t wait to make it tonight!
HI Marissa, you can use any red or white wine you would drink and you could also just skip it. I hope you enjoy the sauce.